For someone whose career has spanned studio wizardry, arena-filling rock, and boundary-pushing collaborations, parting with old gear is never just about clearing space. For John Paul Jones, the decision to auction off a portion of his studio equipment feels more like a quiet passing of the torch than a farewell. The bassist and multi-instrumentalist remains deeply active, but he no longer needs the sheer volume of tools accumulated over decades of recording and touring.
The sale is being handled by Soundgas, a UK outfit known for dealing in vintage and unusual recording equipment. According to the company, the items come directly from Jones’s private studio, much of it owned from new. Rather than locking it away or treating it as museum material, Jones wants the gear to land with musicians and engineers who will actually use it.
That intent is key. The equipment is being offered without formal provenance or inflated mythology attached to it. This isn’t a nostalgia-driven cash-in or a collector’s showcase. It’s a practical musician making sure the tools that once shaped his work continue doing what they were built to do.
The Stories Behind the Gear
Among the most talked-about items is a Guild Thunderbass amplifier, notable not just for its tone but for its recent misadventure. The amp was used by Jones during his time with Them Crooked Vultures and was once left at Dave Grohl’s house. When it was eventually returned, the speakers had been blown, adding an unexpected footnote to its history.
Even in that untested condition, the amp is expected to draw serious interest, with estimates landing in the low four figures. Its appeal isn’t about pristine functionality but about character, context, and the fact that it was part of Jones’s working setup during a later, still creatively fertile phase of his career.
Beyond that single piece, the auction includes a wide spread of studio essentials and curiosities. There are classic Yamaha NS-10M monitors, AKAI digital samplers, rack-mounted processors, and rarities like a Simmons SDS V electronic drum kit and a 1960s Arbiter Soundimension mechanical echo unit. Collectively, they paint a picture of a musician who never stopped exploring new textures and technologies.
Looking Forward While Letting Go
Soundgas has made it clear that none of the items were used during Jones’s time with Led Zeppelin, which keeps the focus firmly on function rather than legend. These are tools from a private workspace, not relics from stadium-era rock history. That distinction reinforces the idea that Jones views his career as ongoing, not something sealed in the past.
That forward momentum is evident elsewhere too. This week marks the premiere of a 20-minute song cycle composed by Jones for mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly. Commissioned by the Philharmonie de Paris, the piece debuts at London’s Wigmore Hall, underscoring his continued presence in the classical and contemporary music world.
Connolly has spoken openly about her admiration for both Led Zeppelin and Jones’s compositional voice, calling him inventive and passionate. In that context, the auction feels less like an ending and more like a clearing of space. Jones isn’t stepping away from music—he’s simply making room for what comes next, while giving others the chance to build something of their own with the tools he once relied on.